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The University of Southern Mississippi has narrowed its list of candidates for athletic director to a handful” of names, according to USM spokesman Jim Coll. And the Hattiesburg American has learned that Appalachian State athletic director Charlie Cobb has emerged as a strong contender for the
Athletics Director job at USM. And according to USM spokesman Jim Coll, the school hopes to have "a new athletic director by the end of the semester."Cobb, who is in his seventh year at Appalachian State University, has had a successful run with the Mountaineers. Appalachian State’s football program won three consecutive FCS championships from 2005-07 while consistently breaking attendance records in the process. According to his ASU biography, Cobb has nearly doubled the school’s athletic budget, from $7.5 to $14.5 million, during his tenure at the Boone, N.C., university. And thanks to his impressive resume, Cobb has emerged as a strong contender for the job heading into the interview process.”Jeff Hammond currently serves as the school’s interim athletic director, taking over the job after Richard Giannini retired from the position in January after 13 years.